Haven is uniquely designed to support students who are involved in the child welfare space. Drawing from best practices in social work and psychology, the Haven Way combines external and Haven-developed approaches and practices to create an environment that is relationship-focused and trauma-sensitive. Sustaining a trauma-sensitive environment is essential to supporting our students in the child welfare space, as 92% of kids in the NYC child welfare system have been exposed to at least one traumatic event.

Defining Trauma and Understanding its Effects

A traumatic event is defined as any event that threatens the physical survival of self or someone close, or threatens one’s core sense of self. Children who have been impacted by instances of trauma, including abuse or neglect, tend to need more support in developing healthy relationships; they thrive in environments that have elements of predictability and stability. We believe that children who have been exposed to trauma deserve to learn in an environment that both recognizes their unique circumstances and seeks to give them an opportunity to form stable relationships within the school environment.

Though there is a vast spectrum of effects based on the individual, exposure to trauma has been proven to have an effect on brain and physical development and behavior patterns. It may present with some of the same symptoms as depression, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), or disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). With this understanding of trauma in mind, the Haven Way is framed by a commitment to a Tight/Loose Continuum.

Tight/Loose Continuum

A core principle of the Haven model is building systems that are both tight— structured and predictable— and loose— responsive and based on student choice. Incorporation of both allows for a balance of student voice and the stability of consistent structures. For a child who has been exposed to trauma, or who has experienced the trauma of displacement in the child welfare system, the combination of stability in a nurturing environment with a child’s own sense of control leads to a feeling of safety in the Haven environment. This further prompts healthy attachment in how students relate to adults and peers in the school community. The concept of tight and loose can be found in all aspects of the Haven model. For example, our literacy curriculum includes both a focus on structured phonemic awareness and more open-ended thematic units of study; social-emotional learning emphasizes sequential skill development and responsive small group intervention.

Empathy and Restorative Practices at the Core

At the core of the Haven Way is a focus on and practice of empathy - the act of imagining what it would be like to experience something the way someone else is experiencing it- and emotional intelligence - the ability to manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Not only do our team members practice empathy towards their peers and students, they also model these behaviors for students as they develop their own empathy skills. Those with high emotional intelligence are proven to be more successful in helping others learn and overcome obstacles, and have a strong sense of their own emotions and how to manage them. Empathy also guides our use of restorative practices and positive behavior systems to build an empathetic community with strong relationships between students, team members, and families. Restorative practices and positive behavior systems are both strengths-based and focused on growth and skill building, rather than punitive measures that remove students from the community.